A dying Brisbane man hopes all four of his children will be allowed to cross into Queensland to visit him after authorities denied all but one an exemption.

September 11, 2020

The NSW family of a dying man separated from his children by Queensland’s border closure is waiting to learn if they’ll be able to visit him before he passes.

Brisbane man Mark Keans was cut off from his family by the state’s COVID-19 health restrictions, including his four children aged under 13 who live in Sydney.

The 39-year-old has terminal brain cancer and is now facing the heartbreaking decision about which of his children he will say goodbye to after health officials denied all but one an exemption to see him.

“We understand and sympathise that this is a very difficult time and there are challenges,” a health department spokeswoman said.

AAP has been told multiple members of Mr Keans’ family have made exemption applications to visit the dying man in hospital but Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young is still assessing them.

No date for a decision has been set.

“Queensland’s current border restrictions are in place for one purpose – to save lives,” the spokeswoman said.

“Health directions in place are strict, but they are designed to protect Queenslanders from COVID-19.”

Earlier, Dr Young told reporters exemptions are regularly given for people to come to Queensland to see dying relatives or close friends.

“But they need to come into quarantine if they come from hotspots,” she said.

Her comments come after Sarah Caisip, 26, was denied permission to leave quarantine for her father’s funeral on Thursday.

The Canberra woman wrote a scathing letter to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk after she applied for an exemption to visit her dying father, which wasn’t approved until two days after his death.

Her case became national news on Thursday when Prime Minister Scott Morrison made a personal plea for her to be allowed to attend the funeral.

Despite this, she was only allowed to leave quarantine to make her final farewell at a private viewing after the service.

Under Queensland’s health measures all of NSW, the ACT and Victoria are considered virus hotspots.